I need to find this article and read the entire piece, instead of having it
spoon fed to me through a person who seemingly dislikes Walsh and Maine
Athletics.
 
UMaine's enrollment is down partially because they cut many programs,
primarily due to insufficient funding by the State.  There was also a
concentrated effort to decrease enrollment after there were what UMaine
considered an overwhelming number of students enrolled five or so years ago
(I can't recall the time period).  What you are seeing reported is the other
end of that pendulum swing.  Dr. Hoff has pledged his energies to increasing
enrollment in a controlled manner.  He seems very capable of doing whatever
he sets out to do!!!
 
Maine Hockey and Maine Athletics has spent large amounts of time and
prodigious amounts of money instituting a state of the art compliance program
which reaches throughout the institution, including education of everyone
associated with student athletes, and comprehensive reporting to the
compliance office of any activities/issues involving student athletes.  This
program has had many other institutions through out the country calling for
specifics so they can implement similar controls/guidelines at their
institutions.  To make it brief - we've cleaned up our act, and it was
painful, but we once again have great pride in our athletic programs and the
University of Maine.  I hope, though I hear otherwise, all the other schools
have cleaned up their acts, too.
 
Ours was a very public cleaning, with the spotlight on a coach who I call a
force of nature, like lightning, with anyone who comes in contact with him
affected somehow.  You either love him or hate him, (and some folks a little
of both!).  His coaching ability should be unquestionable.  Associated with
him as I have been for so many years, I know one of his strengths is his
ability to learn from his mistakes.  As close as I am to Maine Hockey,
present behind the scenes, I see him consciously making decisions based on a
higher awareness of his responsibilities, acting with the increased vigilance
necessary to safeguard the program he worked so hard for so many years to
bring to national prominence.  I also see a marked decrease in the so called
arrogance which gained him many enemies, and an increased sensitivity toward
the student athletes in his program, most assuredly because of his separation
from his own children.  In short, he has, to my mind, grown a lot during his
absence from Maine Hockey.  Those of you out there, like Mr. Ambrose and Mr.
Freeman, should show a little charity before you promote the same old tired
arguments that Maine Hockey and Shawn Walsh are unworthy of our support.
 There is little evidence of wrong doing on his part, and what he did do, he
has been amply punished for.  It seems to be our rival school's fans which
continually try to pass this tripe off as some unspecified heinous act
committed by an as yet un-repentent public figure.  The facts simply do not
fit that distortion.
 
In my Doctor husband's office, with many students from UMaine coming in, I am
amused by the majority who have never even stepped into Alfond, and could
care less about athletics (Of course, they get a crash course in Umaine
Athletics as soon as they step into the office!).  This observation, plus the
decrease in student participation at games, indicates to me a college where
students go to prepare for their life's work, and not necessarily be
entertained by athletic events.  I find the argument that the NCAA
investigation is responsible for decreased enrollment laughable.
 
Yes, Athletics is one of the primary venues through which the general tax
paying public views the University of Maine.  As such, one can expect any
athletic related news, good or bad, to affect the perception of the people of
Maine.  While there was a shadow on Athletics, that has faded significantly,
as the teams we go cheer for represent UMaine so well.  There is also present
in the collective consciousness of Maine people the pride they felt in '93.
 Over four years later, people still speak of that and their faces light up.
 What does that say about their feelings for UMaine Athletics?
 
Well, I am off to search for that article.  If I find aught in there which
changes what I have posted here, I will be sure to write again, so beware!
 
GO MAINE!
 
Cathy Hart
President, Friends of Maine Hockey